Appare Sorano, a socially awkward and eccentric genius engineer from a late-19th-century Japanese merchant family, defied his status as a second son by rejecting societal norms to pursue mechanical innovation. Inspired by scientific literature like Jules Verne’s *From the Earth to the Moon*, his inventions repeatedly clashed with authority, culminating in imprisonment for damaging a lord’s garden and a daring escape via self-built steam-powered boat—a voyage that stranded him and samurai Kosame Isshiki at sea until rescued by an American steamship.

Determined to fund his return to Japan, Appare entered the Trans-America Wild Race in Los Angeles, constructing a steam-powered car from salvaged boat parts. His resourcefulness produced unconventional gadgets like electric nets and fireworks rockets, though their designs favored raw functionality over practicality. Initially aloof and dismissive of collaboration, he gradually developed empathy through Kosame’s guidance and encounters with allies like Hototo, a vengeance-driven Native American boy, and Jing Xialian, a gender-norm-defying Chinese-American racer.

A turning point arose when Kosame took a bullet protecting him, plunging Appare into a depressive hiatus from inventing until his companion’s recovery reignited his drive. Post-race, he remained in America to explore aviation, inspired by emerging airplane prototypes. His appearance—marked by red facial dots, asymmetrical attire, and goggles—visually reinforced his nonconformity. Though still socially inept, his journey revealed a tentative shift from solitary obsession to collaborative growth, balancing relentless engineering ambition with fledgling interpersonal connections.